Thinking Too Much
by KateToast
Summary: Lorelai's thoughts during the dance in LWF, TWT. I know it's been done almost as much as post-R&R fics, but I couldn't help it. Dialogue taken from the episode. One-shot.


**Disclaimer**: Gilmore Girls is owned by Amy Sherman-Palladino, Warner Bros., and all those other rich, smart people.

**A/N**: I know this has been done like, a_ million_ times before, but the bunny bit while I was watching _LWF, TWT_ and, well, here's the result.

**XXX**

I knew the second after I had mocked the book and his expression changed that Luke was mad. I didn't understand why, but the way he snapped tipped me off pretty well. After he stormed off, I decided to give him some space.

Of course, one can only wander around a Renaissance-themed wedding by themselves avoiding the weird stalker-like extra from a bad King Arthur film for so long. I felt bad for what I had said. For some reason I just can't control all the things that come out of my mouth, especially around Luke. Sometimes I just feel like I can say anything and he won't care. Except this time he did.

I spotted him talking with the court jester right outside the dance floor, and ditched the Lancelot-wannabe. I glanced over at Liz and TJ, and couldn't help but think how cute they looked. Ever since Liz had mentioned before the wedding that I'd make a great wife and sister-in-law, it was one of the only things I could think about. Being at a wedding made me long for the same feeling of promised love from a guy you knew you couldn't live without. I always knew Max wasn't _that_ guy, and yet I was still going to marry him. _I can't believe I almost did._

As I approached Luke, a sudden thought struck me from nowhere. Was it just the lights, or the moon, or did Luke look pretty good in that suit? Not that he didn't always look good, he just looked...different. He had looked good all day, actually. It was definitely a good different. _Did I just say Luke looked 'good different'?_

"He juggles for money," Luke informed me as I neared and the jester walked away.

I nodded, and grinned tentatively. I'd been on the receiving side of Luke's temper too many times to count, and I was hoping to avoid it right now. "You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, almost bashful. _Luke could be bashful?_

"We okay?" I went on quietly, hoping we were.

He sighed. "Yeah, I didn't mean to get so defensive."

I apologized for making fun of Jess and his book. And I didn't just say those things to make Luke feel better; while he was cooling off, I thought about it, and maybe it _was_ a good thing that he was using the self-help book. Lord knows Jess needs all the help he can get, specifically in the love department.

"You want to dance?"

The question had been so sudden that I resisted widening my eyes to saucer-like proportions.

"Um, you said before you don't dance," I pointed out. Of course, I would've said the same thing. Who would want to dance with that Carrie? She's married, too, and hitting on great guys like Luke who _just_ got outof a crappy marriage (if you could even call it that). I looked back and thought that maybe I had been a _bit_ overprotective when Carrie had been hanging around like a fly before the ceremony.

Oh well.

Luke half-smiled, which made me almost melt. _I wanted to melt? _"Well, I'm a compulsive liar," he said.

How could I say no? I couldn't, so I didn't. I needed to witness this 'Luke dancing' for myself. Plus, I was a little curious to see how Luke Danes handled his women. _Did I just call myself one of '_Luke's women_'? What is _wrong_ with me?_

I took his hand, feeling stupid for feeling stupid about dancing with him. Who cares? He's my best friend, other than Sookie and Rory. Why was I blushing? This was no big deal. I mean sure, Luke and I flirt occasionally (well, more than occasionally, I guess), and yes, we have had...'moments'. But don't a lot of best friends of the opposite sex have 'moments'? Sure, most best friends end up together on a lot TV shows (_Friends_, anybody?). And _yeah_, the town has always had that crazy idea that me and Luke were like, perfect together or whatever. _And_ Emily has always insinuated that we were dating behind her back or something.

But that was just TV and gossip and my mother's weird mind. Nothing substantial, right? Right. Luke is my friend. He's my coffee supplier and keeps me eating and helps me out in tough situations and has always been there for me and Rory and he loves Rory like she was his own daughter and he's slowly pulling me towards him...

Whoa.

In all of my efforts in trying to avoid laughing in embarrassment and having an awkward-ness settle between us, I had somehow ended up _extremely_ close to my diner buddy. And I can't help but look up, because hey, where else can I look except down, where I'm going to see our bodies basically pressed against each other.

His eyes are really blue, I realized. I mean, I had noticed before, but right now, being so close and all, they seem even more piercing. How had I not really looked into Luke's eyes? They were deep, and looked like they held the kind of secret I'd try to pry out of him during one of the lull's at the diner. Did his eyes always look like this?

I looked down. I had to stop thinking about Luke's eyes.

So, instead, I thought about Rory. Rory was out with some friends, as she had told me this afternoon before I left for the wedding, where I proceeded to have a wonderful time with Luke, and was still doing so now.

Crap. No. No wedding thinking. What had I used before? Avalanches...earthquakes...famine...

Luke's shoulder is really nice. It's strong, and yet kind of soft. Had I ever laid my head down on his shoulder before? Why hadn't I? And he dances (no, _waltzes_) very well for a man who claims to have two left feet. And his touch is nice; it's not possessive or lax, it's just...nice, and makes you feel safe. _He's always made me feel safe._

I glanced up again as we kept moving in a circle slowly as the song went on, and noticed that Luke had this content look on his face, like he was really happy about something. _Did _I_ make him happy? Or is it the dancing?_

I averted my eyes when he looked down at me, feeling suddenly self-conscious, like I was back in junior high. When was the last time I had really felt like this with a guy? _Not since Christopher._

And here was the gruff diner-owner I've seen almost every day for what seems like forever, waltzing with me at his little sister's wedding, letting me see him in a light I hadn't really paid attention to before.

_How had I never noticed him before?_


End file.
